An activist organization staged a series of protests at French Apple stores on Saturday, calling on the company to pay the $15.5 billion in back taxes the Irish government has been ordered to collect by the European Commission.

The European Union's competition commissioner has asked Apple to update details on its tax situation, following allegations that the company relocated some operations from Ireland to Jersey to avoid higher rates.

In a rare blog posting, Apple listed a series of inaccuracies in the "Paradise Papers" tax story reported by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, while outlining its business in Cork, Ireland; emphasizing that the company is the "largest taxpayer in the world" and repeating that it "pays every dollar it owes in every country around the world."

Confirming an earlier report, the European Commission on Wednesday said it will bring Ireland to the European Court of Justice for failing to collect at least $15 billion in back taxes from Apple, which were originally due Jan. 3.

The European Commission is set to penalize Ireland with a "non-compliance action" for failing to collect up to $17.6 billion in back taxes from Apple, owed after the Commission found the Irish government brokered unfair deals that constituted illegal state aid.

In a German interview this week, Ireland's finance minister attacked the European Commission's ruling calling for the collection of $15 billion in back taxes (plus interest) from Apple, saying it was both unjustified and outside Ireland's responsibility.

Apple and the Irish government are reportedly nearing a deal that would shield the latter from losses incurred while holding up to $17.7 billion in Apple cash, including interest -- money that may be due in back taxes following a 2016 European Commission ruling.

The European Union has fined Facebook 110 million euros -- about $122 million -- for providing "misleading information" during a 2014 review of its WhatsApp acquisition, which raised concerns about data sharing between the two services.

Apple has missed the deadline to pay the 13 billion euros ($14 billion) the iPhone producer was ordered to pay Ireland in back taxes, but the European Commission is noting that progress is still being made by Apple to comply with its ruling.

An Irish legislative committee is reportedly optimistic that Apple CEO Tim Cook will accept an invitation to attend a late January hearing, which will examine the European Commission's ruling that Ireland must collect $14.5 billion in back taxes from the iPhone maker.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday issued new legal guidance that might prevent Apple from recouping any back taxes owed in Ireland by claiming them against taxes it would normally pay in America.

In the wake of the European Commission's ruling against tax deals between Apple and Ireland, the finance ministers of several other European countries are reportedly considering a share of the iPhone maker's back taxes.

On Tuesday, the European Commission handed down its biggest tax penalty yet, ordering Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) in back taxes -- but both Ireland and Apple are appealing the ruling.

On Tuesday the European Commission will find against Ireland's tax arrangements with Apple, and ask the country to collect over 1 billion euros ($1.119 billion) in back taxes, a report claimed on Monday.